Here is a list of the top trends in Digital Communications that we see gaining momentum:

1. Drop the ‘social’ as social business becomes business
2. Everyone should have a solid digital strategy: encouraging engagement and sharing through a content marketing strategy
3. Social is mobile!
4. Video and viral: YouTube is the second most used search engine in most countries
5. Content and information must flow freely and at all times, this is the ‘new now’
6. Motivate! Use gaming to motivate users to act and engage
7. Niche social networks like Pinterest and Instagram are exploding
8. Transparency and audience conversations
9. Seamless usage on all devices: smart phones, tablets and e-readers are all mobile computers

The key here is to know your audience! Know where they are and how they want to receive and utilize information. The alternative is to hide, to fail to engage and to produce nothing, which in the world we operate in today is no longer a viable option.

With the festivities and exhaustion that often is associated with the holidays, I try to find moments to step away and look at opportunities with a different lens – a lens that enables me to determine what needs to be done differently, how best to do it and with the optimism that strong visions are achievable.  Many find themselves on one side of the fence or the other – either the glass is half-full or half-empty.  Here’s an idea…….let’s toss the glass out the window, adapt to the situation, leave the past behind and truly press forward to those things which lie ahead!  Every situation, bad or good, is an opportunity to be seized.

From all of us at JANSON, we trust that 2012 will be the best year yet for you to achieve significant opportunities and that you will enjoy the journey along the way.

We count ourselves blessed to work with some of the most incredible customers! The organizations we support have missions on a global scale and we are honored to be their partners.  As we embrace the mission of each client, we collectively accomplish amazing things for them.

The year has been punctuated with more hours on flights than I spent in my office, but at the end of the day, I would not change a thing from 2011.  As we ring in the New Year – we will be off to the races once again!  When you have an extraordinary team and a group of clients that you consider “family” PLUS operate from a foundation of integrity, perseverance and passion – I’m convinced that just about anything is possible…2012 – Here we come!

I was honored to speak briefly at Final Salute Inc.’s program H.O.M.E. ribbon cutting this past Saturday for the first opening of a transitional house for homeless female Veterans and their children in Fairfax, VA.  Having never served in the U.S. military, it was my distinct honor to be a part of this special day and to be actively engaged in the mission of supporting our women Veterans. JANSON now has the opportunity to help ensure our female heroes are equipped and sustained to achieve what life has in store and I believe their best days are ahead of them.

Why female veterans?  Here are a few reasons:

• Of the 500 transitional housing programs for male veterans in the United States, a little over half can accept women.
• Over half of homeless female Veterans are single mothers and some facilities cannot accommodate children.
• Some female Veterans who have experienced Military Sexual Trauma (MST) may not be comfortable staying in co-ed facilities.
• There are affordable housing programs and temporary housing units available to all Veterans, but the waiting lists are long and some female Veterans have minor children for which they are responsible.

So – let’s all rally behind this effort or organization in support of those who have already given so much to our great nation, our Veterans and in particular, our Homeless Female Veterans.

Janet sharing her secrets of success at the NDIA Small Business Conference

Today, our CEO and founder, Janet Chihocky shared her secrets of succeeding in the midst of uncertain times and changing global environments at the NDIA Materiel Enterprise Small Business Conference in Huntsville, Alabama.  Janet is recognized as a thought leader in strategy, communications and branding – elements that can make or break a small business.  As CEO, Chihocky has led JANSON in steady growth, with a mission defined by a passion for integrity and excellence for more than 14 years.

What are several key factors impacting success in today’s market? The turbulent economy, an unsettled political system, declining domestic defense budgets, increased competition and acquisition challenges all influence the potential for small business success in the Defense industry.

Despite these challenges, JANSON has been able to succeed. In sharing a blueprint for her success, Janet credits four components that have helped her to come out a winner.

1. Janet has changed her view of the situation by broadening her perspective, concentrating on her passions, accepting healthy challenges and taking ‘selective’ risks.
2. Next, she surrounds herself with wise counsel and a committed team that settles for nothing less than 100%, through  listening, and executing in a way that consistently goes beyond what is expected.
3. Third, at the helm of JANSON Communications, she focuses efforts in the company’s specific lanes of expertise – core competencies of Strategy, Communications and Branding, within the markets of Defense, Aerospace and Government.
4. Last, Chihocky challenges her listeners to never underestimate the power of God’s grace. For her, blessings have come from the most unexpected places. Janet is grateful for the opportunities JANSON Communications has had over the years, but she is especially appreciative of her team of professionals who have been such a big part of her success.

The rest of us have an obligation and responsibility to do whatever we can to make a difference in the lives of those who have served and defended our nation. Between 2011 and 2016, over one million Americans are projected to leave the military and transition to living as a civilian.

In recent days, there has been a groundswell of support from the White House for unemployed Veterans. From tax credits for companies hiring Veterans to training programs and educational opportunities, the country is uniting as one on the importance of supporting our Veterans.

Some of the greatest tragedies relating to Veterans are the homeless women, especially single mothers. There are over 13,000 homeless female Veterans nationwide with more than 700 in the DC Metro area alone (2009 reports). Military Sexual Trauma (MST) is one of the leading causes of homelessness among female Veterans.

There are concerned Americans who are embracing the plight of this group of Veterans and making a difference. Final Salute is a non-profit organization that provides housing and supportive services to homeless female Veterans and assists in the prevention of homelessness for at-risk female Veterans.

JANSON Communications will be the officiating sponsor for the Final Salute H.O.M.E. Ribbon Cutting Event on Saturday, December 3, 2011 in Fairfax, VA. Maybe you can’t hire a Veteran, but there is something you can do. To learn more about how you can support Veterans and military families, check out http://www.finalsaluteinc.org/16.html. You know, what starts out as trying to help others, often ends up making a difference in our own lives!

JANSON Communications has been successful over the years because we are agile, forward-thinking and responsive to trends and changing world conditions. These qualities benefit our clients by enabling them to be at the forefront of the Defense, Aerospace and Government Technology industries.

With that being said, JANSON is introducing our new website with a more targeted approach encompassing the sophisticated and complex areas of worldwide strategic communications and branding for emerging markets. We are leading our clients into the future of communications. To talk about how your organization can benefit from our experience and capabilities, contact us immediately. The future is now. The opportunities are for those who reach for them with decisiveness and purpose. JANSON can help you make it happen!

After spending hours drafting the perfect pitch, we sometimes expect the reporters/editors to understand the effort that went into it and respond immediately if they are interested. It rarely works that way. Most of the time, your media contacts will glance over the pitch, and if they are semi-interested, they may flag it or place it in a folder, and pay it no attention for another week or two until they run out of story ideas. Continuing to send the same email in hopes of a response is a waste of time for you and your media contact. Take action after the pitch is distributed:

• Prepare three clear message points you want to convey
• Pick up the phone and dial
• Maintain a down-to-earth tone
• Communicate why you are calling and hit your three key points as quickly and clearly as you can, don’t ramble and don’t be pushy
• Don’t take rudeness personally, they are busy
• Follow up with additional informaion, if requested

Taking time to write a newsworthy and effective pitch is important to the pitching process however, taking action and calling your media contacts, which can at times be nerve wracking, adds a personal touch that has resulted in success for many JANSON clients.

I love paper. I love the feel and smell of it. The ideas and images written and printed on it are timeless and forever. Give me a real book—the older the better!—over an e-reader any day.

For success in today’s business communications, however, most things change too quickly for paper, or even for a Web site that’s only a reasonable facsimile of paper, also known as “brochureware.” When the corporate brochure is a labor of love, there is a tendency to think that’s enough for a Web site, and believe that everyone else will fall in love with what we’ve put on paper about our company. But customers today want to be heard, and to connect with the companies they do business with, not simply read what we say about ourselves. The online world offers a huge and growing number of tools to help you do that—tools that your competitors are no doubt taking advantage of right now to engage, converse with, and tell their story to YOUR target audience. It’s a shame to be online simply to hang a shingle any more.

Great program managers also exhibit the skills of great leaders. Positive leadership and an enthusiastic approach will help to inspire team members to reach toward excellence and provide even greater value for clients. Clearly, there is a responsibility to also manage the professional development of team members, as well as cross-train individuals to bring greater strength to the team effort.

The program manager should also look for ways to improve processes and provide constructive feedback in that regard. Innovating change can be challenging, however it is well worth the effort if it brings positive, meaningful, measurable results. Keeping up with the latest emerging technology and concepts can also facilitate team effectiveness.

Keep in mind that key components of solid leadership for program managers include, but are not limited to: establishing and maintaining good client relationships, conducting effective communication up and down the chain of responsibility, managing financial and deliverable requirements closely, reinforcing great teamwork and a sense of urgency regarding the mission, and ensuring opportunities exist for the professional development of staff members. Great leadership and great teamwork can yield superb mission accomplishment for clients. Strive to be the best!